Propeller fob life-boats



ILPETERS. PKDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C UNITED MlrlllllT OFFICE.

M. M. CAMP, OF NEW' HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

PROPELLER FOR LIFE-BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,346, dated December 2l, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MORTIMERM. CAMP, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Method of Propelling Inclosed Life-Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, showing an application of my invention, and to the let` ters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 represents `a sectional elevation of an inclosed life boat with the arrangement of means for its propulsion, and Fig. 2 a plan view of the same taken through the line m Fig. l.

My invention consists in a method of propelling that class of life boats having an inclosed or decked hull by the application of the power of the occupants of the boat or of such portion thereof Vas shall be found requisite to effect that purpose such boats, from their construction, not being fitted to be propelled by any of the ordinary applications of manual power used in boats having an open or undecked hull.

A simple and effective arrangement for the application of my improvement is shown in the drawings which admits of a large amount of power to be applied to the propulsion of the boat in case of need or emergency, while it leaves a large portion of the hold for the accommodation of the occu pants of the boat who are either unable or not required to aid in working the boat; but this arrangement may be varied to suit particular requirements, or be entirely changed and other arrangements substituted for it if found necessary or desirable.

A is the hull of a life boat of ordinary construction, differing only in having a recess formed in its stern for the reception of the propelling wheel, in order that the wheel may be protected in a greater degree from injury by the waves or by collision than if left exposed outside the hull.

B is the deck to the boat, inclosing the hold of the boat water tight, but having a suitable hatchway or other means of entrance to the hold, and apertures for the admission of fresh air to, and the emission of foul air from the hold, which aperture, should be so arranged as not to admit water through them to the hold when waves break over the boat-the purpose of the inclosed hold being to preserve the boat from being swamped by preventing the admission of water into it, and to protect the inmates of of the boat more secure and comfortable than in an open boat.

C a propeller wheel placed in the recess in the stern of the boat and attached to, and revolved by a shaft running into the hold through a packed stutiing box. Upon the inner end of the wheel shaft is secured the bevel pinion D into which meshes and works the bevel wheels E, E. These wheels are attached to separate shafts so that they can operate in opposite directions to each other, and they are made as many times greater in diameter than the pinion, as it is desired to have the propeller wheel revolve to each revolution made by them.

F, F` are bars suspended at one end in braces or supports, in which they slide back and forth readily, and attached at the other end to the cranks upon the outer end of the shafts of the wheels E, E. These bars are placed a sulioient distance from the sides of the hold to allow room for persons to get between them and the sides of the hold to work upon the outside of them in case of need. Cross pieces or arms G, G are attached to the bars at suitable distances apart to allow the persons working at them to be out of the way of each other, which arms are taken hold of by the operators to move the bars to revolve the propelling wheel and propel the boat. The bars can be suspended in supports at each end and connecting rods be attached from their ends to the cranks if desired. Under ordinary circumstances, with a common sized boat, the boatcan be propelled by the application of the power of four or six persons, to the arms on the bars which extend toward the center of the boat, but in case of necessity-such as a heavy adverse wind and sea or when the boat is in danger of being driven on a dangerous coast-a greater power may be applied by having a person stationed at, and working with, cach of the arms, both on the inside and outside of the bars.

The open or undeoked life boats in ordinary use are propelled by manual labor applied to oars, but this method of propulsion is inapplicable to inclosed life boats for the reason that the hold of the boat is not of suiicient height to allow oars to be used, and would be unsafe if it were as the increased height would render the boat unstable and liable to be capsized by the deck extending to too great a height above the Water line7 at the same time that the apertures through which the oars would be Worked Would admit Water to flood the hold.

I am aware that Submarine boats, and diving bells have been so arranged as to be propelled by a single occupant, and I do not therefore claimY my invention for the propulsion of either of those articles, as it is only practically applicable to life-saving boats as herein described; nor do I claim its application to the life boat shown for my invention is applicable to any description of inclosed life boat however constructed, but

That I do claim as my invention and de- 15 sire to Secure by Letters Patent, is-

The method of propelling inclosed life boats by the application of the power of the occupa-nts of the boat, as herein set forth.

MORTIMER M. CAMP.

IVitneSSes N. A. COWDREY, FRANCIS S. Low. 

